Air Conditioner location

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Lady of the Lake
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Air Conditioner location

Post by Lady of the Lake »

I see that there has been some discussion regarding the location of an air conditioner on the 36. Some say port side under the settee. If so, how do you run the ducts to the forward staterooms past the fridge? Some say starboard side under the settee. If so, how do you fit the unit with the sloping back of the nav station? Which units have been installed? Also, where do you locate the water pump, strainer, and through hulls (I assume 3, one for intake below the waterline, one for discharge above the waterline, and one for condensate, also above the waterline).

Thanks!
Sam and Gina Densler
s/v Lady of the Lake
PDQ36 Hull #15
Punta Gorda, FL
Half Moon 36073
deckhand
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Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:07 am
Location: EDENTON, NC

AC for PDQ 36

Post by Half Moon 36073 »

We installed a Westerbeke 17000. The Nav unit can be unscrewed and removed easily, giving excellent access to the area under the stb settee. The AC weighs 63 pounds with L 21.25, W 16.5 and H 13.5 inches. It requires 26 Amps to start, runs @ 10 Amps for AC and 12 Amps for heating. It needs 500 GPH water pump. Pump and filter are in the stb stateroom below the closet. Two suggestions: 1. install a large pump, not the minimum, and 2. After installation, have the unit checked to insure proper charging of refrigerant. If refrigerant is low, the unit will ice up. We spent a year as liveaboards in New Bern, NC, Sept-Sept, and were very satisfied with the performance of the Westerbeke. Alex Kehayes
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Lady of the Lake
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Post by Lady of the Lake »

Thanks for the info. It does not look like my nav station can be removed. What hull number are you? I am hull #15. I wonder if this is a change later in the design.

Where did you install the unit under the starboard settee? Directly under the bench is too narrow and impinges in the slope of the nav station. Did you modify the nav station insert? Or did you install back in the corner forward of the nav station and next to the center water tank?

When you say to install a big pump are you saying that the 500GPH is too small or is that a good size?

What did you do about a thru-hull? The local yard wants $800 for the haulout and thruhull install. I would do it myself but they don't allow outside work in their yard and no one else around here has the capability to haul us at 18 ft beam.
Sam and Gina Densler
s/v Lady of the Lake
PDQ36 Hull #15
Punta Gorda, FL
Half Moon 36073
deckhand
deckhand
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:07 am
Location: EDENTON, NC

AC Location

Post by Half Moon 36073 »

We have 36073, and the nav station insert is screwed into place and thus easily removed. Have you spoken with any factory reps? They could better comment on any changes in design since #15 which might make installation in your boat much different,
My first pump was 500 GPH I think, but it lasted about 100 hours so I replaced it with a higher capacity pump which is going strong many 100's of hours later. The water exits the boat right by the unit in the bridge deck, as does the condensate. The thru-hull was done with the boat in the water! Diver on the outside, mechanic on the inside. It has never leaked, so the technique must be sound. Installation was done by the folks at 2Hulls in Ft. Lauderdale. Good luck. Alex Kehayes
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